The Terrifying Collapse of the Plains American Indians

As the US government pushes once mighty tribes like the Comanche and Apache onto reservations, a resistance emerges in the north, led by the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne among others. This dramatic saga features chiefs like Sitting Bull and Red Cloud, warriors like Crazy Horse, and military icons like George Custer. Gruesome violence, massacre, and removal are tragic constants in this story. This is the harrowing last stand of Native Americans on the Great Plains. #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth
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A note on terminology:

SOURCES:
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Hämäläinen Pekka. Lakota America: a New History of Indigenous Power. Yale University Press, 2019.

Lapointe, Ernie. Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy. 1st ed., Gibbs Smith, 2009.

Morgan, T J. vol. 1, United States Office of Indian Affairs, 1891, pp. 180–181, Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1891.Extracts from verbatim stenographic report of council held by delegations of Sioux with Commissioner of Indian Affairs, at Washington, February 11, 1891.

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Scott Buckley Music

[animation]

An interesting fact. One of the soldiers who guarded an imprisoned Sitting Bull was a Chinese man named Edward Day Cohota, who described the Chief as being quite pleasant.

[judethedudeisrude]

As a member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma, I can’t help but see things like this and think to myself “I exist because of the luck and endurance of my ancestors, who survived this genocide.” It’s just awful to think of the fear, pain, and terror they all went through.

[mgs_k]

"With the blood wet foot dangling against his mount, Sitting Bull journey’s back to familiar earth. Where swaying hills slope into cool rivers and wolves wonder under silver light. " This is just so beautifully delivered.

[dakota]

I’m from the Dakota people on the southern boarder of Canada, I watched your Viking raid video and instantly knew I would be subscribing for more, now you have a video on native history it’s amazing dude can’t wait to see what you have in stored for us!

[ROYAL-lplg]

You guys have such a beautiful way of telling history, I was wondering if maybe one day you could do the story of Hawai’i perhaps about King Kamehameha’s conquest of the islands; as a Hawaiian that would mean so much to see my own history told as beautifully.

[tio]

Heartbreaking history with well executed narration, and art. You guys deserve such praise for your research and meticulous devotion to your channel and the history we tend to forget.

[mareoism]

I'm Cree from Saskatchewan Canada. I love listening to these stories and documentaries of our peoples. Can't help but get emotional and cry when he talks of the women, children and elderly being massacred. Can't help but imagine my family and friends being the ones laying on the ground when he describes the corpses and little fingers clutching dead mothers

[chasejarvis]

Proud Lakota from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota commenting here! 🙌 our history has alot of dark times but appreciate the light shed on the history, regardless ❤️❤️

[skycollins]

One of my great grandfather's was a cree chief he worked as a scout for the army against sitting bull. Not long before he died he confessed that it was his biggest regret in his life

[jakekonig]

I essentially never leave Youtube comments, but I strongly feel the need to do so here—this really is one of the most well done videos I have seen on Youtube and I am incredibly moved after watching it. I have been fascinated with Indigenous North American history (especially in this time period) for my entire life, but no resource really "scratched the itch" and I always get left wanting more, whether it be personal accounts & powerful quotes, information, geography, story telling, etc.

You accomplished the whole picture: From the hauntingly beautiful artwork to the stunning narration that did not paint the Indigenous Peoples either as saintly pacifists who were easily rolled over, or as "ruthless" warriors who killed for sport—but as human beings in an incredibly difficult and unique time in history.

Thank you for this work, and please continue to create these videos. I will be keenly watching them all and recommending them to my friends. The History genre is huge on Youtube, and you have struck a unique chord. I think this channel is going to get really big, and you certainly deserve it!

[craig]

This work is absolutely extraordinary.

This is what history should be. You have distilled the poetry and meaning while demonstrating excellent research with numerous primary sources, presented in a way that makes it viscerally real. I never dreamed of making any sort of historical work of this kind of quality.

[robertoacevedo]

I am going to say something and I mean it. I hope many who read this feel the same. This is by far the best YouTube channel I have ever come upon. Your videos are so beautifully edited. I actually feel the heart soul and sorrow of the information being bestowed on us. The message embodied through the narration sound and illustrations. Thank you so much.

[GodzillaX]

Utterly heartbreaking history that should be taught in schools. One Red Cloud quote that stook withe was "they made many promises, more than I can remember but they only kept one. They promised to take our land and they took it". That picture of a 90 year old Red Cloud makes me want to cry, you can see the pain of his life in written all over it.

[LotharOfTheHillPeople]

Growing up in Montana and northern Idaho, these stories were told as heroes' tales of brave men fighting government overreach. It's very strange now living in Atlanta to hear the way kids outside the West are taught to think of Native Americans.

[sweetdukes]

This has got to be one of the hardest videos I've ever had to watch. The systematic extermination of Native Americans for greed & hate was overwhelming to take in. What has happened should never be forgotten. Thank you for putting together this video.

[fleuger]

As a non American, I've always found the Native cultures very interesting. It is a sad matter of affairs of how the Native American tribes were first given treaties which dissolved into thin air when it suited the white Government and ended in genocide. I'm glad the Natives and their cultures have survived albeit, at great impact and cost.

[psychobear]

That was as beautiful as it was horrific. The narration, artwork, script and research came together so eloquently that I believe that you have all honoured their memory

[cjthebeesknees]

Not many seem to realize this is one of the most complex and diabolical Genocides to have taken place in human history. Tecumseh was the last chance.

[warchantillini]

Just discovered your channel. Story telling is phenomenal! This one broke my heart!

[jessekahoaalohakupaa]

This was deeply moving. Thank you for your work.